I know this issue has been discussed many times. Someone on a previous post had suggested the use of a bolt to hold the two sections together. This would seem to be alternative to rivets and epoxy. It appears that the epoxy will only break free at a latter date, due to the loads on the mast and trailering. A bolt would allow the mast to be disassembled for storage in a garage over the winter months, or while trailering on a long trip. I know I must be missing something, or Hobie would have gone with a bolt a long time ago, to put an end to this ongoing problem. The comp tip on the boat I just purchased separated on the way home. The two sections slid apart easily and there is no damage. The local mechanic, at our marina here in Costa Rica suggested a bolt as well. I am ready to reassemble with rivets and epoxy, as you have suggested, but I keep thinking about a bolt. So my question is, why not a bolt.

Aesthetics mostly. A nut and bolt are pretty rough looking compared to just epoxying the joint or even using pop rivets.

If it were me, I'd use two or three aluminum pop rivets. They will be plenty strong to hold the comptip in during trailering and you won't have any issues with galvanic corrosion of the mast (as compared to using stainless steel or monel rivets). They are also super easy to drill out in the event that you want to remove the comptip at some point in time.

I would hook up the downhaul or mainsheet blocks to the main halyard and use them to compress the comptip into the lower mast section, then drill the holes and install the rivets. This way you reduce the chance of the comptip/rivets loosening up.